The superstar will lead the Detroit Pistons into Saturday's game versus his former team at Staples Center for the first time since he was traded a year ago

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When the Detroit Pistons play the Clippers on Saturday afternoon, it will be the first time forward Blake Griffin will face his former team at Staples Center since he was traded on Jan. 29, 2018. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

Whether Blake Griffin’s first date with the Clippers at Staples Center is awkward, stirring, wistful, deferential or all of the above, and probably more, it’ll feel momentous.

“A lot’s being made about him coming back, and anyone would not be telling the truth if that didn’t pull some emotional string that you have, coming back to the place where you helped build and you put together,” Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey said before his team lost to the Lakers at Staples Center on Wednesday.

“And what (the Clippers are) doing now, he started it, the feeling of wanting to come here to play in L.A. with the Clippers.”

The Clippers readily agree: They owe Griffin – and DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul – much more than a modicum of gratitude.

“When you think about all those guys, our big three … whatever we do in the future, and I keep saying this, they started it,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “We’re trying to build this team here to be a winner and keep doing that each year, but I really credit those three guys. They started people looking at our franchise as a franchise you want to be a part of.

“We are forever indebted to those guys.”

On Jan. 29, 2018, just six months after the team painted Griffin as a “lifelong Clipper” during a free-agency presentation, which ended with his signing a five-year, $171 million contract, he was traded.

In an out-of-the-blue blockbuster deal, the Clippers shipped Griffin to the Motor City for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a 2018 first-round draft pick (which became Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and a 2019 second-round pick.

It was a jarring send-off for the superstar power forward whom the team drafted first overall in 2009, who unanimously won NBA Rookie of the Year after coming back from a fractured kneecap, and who, as a Clipper, was a five-time All-Star.

Utilizing his unique combination of size, strength and athleticism, Griffin also finished third in the MVP race at 24 years old, and despite missing 99 games with injuries in his final three seasons in L.A., averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game on better than 50 percent shooting for the Clippers – who, no, never advanced past the Western Conference semifinals during his seven-plus-season tenure.

He’s continued his impactful evolution in Detroit, where his streaky Pistons are in search of the franchise’s first postseason victory since 2008. This season, Griffin is averaging career highs in points (25.1) and 3-pointers (2.3) and is being looked to as a leader.

“He speaks up, he talks to the players about what’s going on, what’s not going on,” Casey said. “He does a lot by example – how hard he plays, he’s the first one in the gym, last one to leave, so he sets the tone that way.

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“As far as his play is concerned, he’s transformed himself to is a new NBA type player. Before he was just a high flyer, post up – he gets a lot of post-ups now, but still he can go out and shoot the 3, bring the ball down the floor, initiate the offense, run pick-and-rolls. He does a little bit of everything for us.”

It shows in his usage rate; the Pistons incorporate Griffin into nearly 30 percent of their plays while he’s on the court.

“We gotta be careful with that, but at the same time, we gotta win,” said Casey, who seems confident Griffin can handle the load, and that he’ll handle the reunification with the Clippers on his former homecourt.

“Blake’s a pro,” Casey said. “He’s mature, he’s focused. He’s probably one of the most focused guys I’ve been around and coached. So it may bother him a little bit, but not too long.”

On Wednesday, it was the Pistons’ effort that bothered Griffin. They lost for the eighth time in 10 games, falling 113-100 to the Lakers. He shot just 6 for 14 from the floor, finished with 16 points and failed to get a rebound for the first time in his career.

Mirjam Swanson covers the Clippers and the NBA for the Southern California News Group. Previously, she wrote about LeBron James and the rest of the Dream Team at the 2004 Olympics (where, yes, they took bronze) and Tiger Woods’ last (for now) major championship. Most recently, she’s covered city government, education and the occasional bear in a backyard.